Born of the sun
by winter goddess yuki onna
Summary: There wasn't just only one survivor of the Kul elna masacure that night there was another and this is his story. Eventually Atem x oc. boy x boy.
1. prologue

Hi guys!

I don't own yugioh!

Filthy, Sinful, Ungrateful.

Those are but a few words to describe the village of Kul elne. A tiny village in Egypt's vast deserts.

Its small yes but it is avillage of criminals, cut thought, vagabonds and worst of all, Tomb robbers.

And I lived there...

I was raised to continue the family 'business' which meant that I had to do as my father and his father did before and become a thief.

I was raised as a thief. I was taught to steal the very gold from the tombs of people ten times greater then them, or I.

And I hated it!

I was not, as you say in this time, the apple of my fathers eye, or the darling of my mother, or whatever...

Hell! my father beat me to with-in an inch of my life with my mother watching, when I refused to rob a certain Pharaohs tomb.

These people had no respect for them the great Pharaohs who ruled our once great nation, the very ones who made our kingdom safe and secure as best they could.

They sided with the enemy we have long been at war with the war our good king tried so hard to keep us out of.

The plotted the death of the kind and beautiful queen when she was finally with child

So, you see when I saw the massacre I thought our many gods and goddesses had finally answered my many prayers.

I never loved them...

What little love I did had for them died the moment that they cursed me so that as long as their hate still lingered I could never die...

No! it's not a curse... I laugh at them... with this I can watch over him...

I will keep him safe, the newest child of Ra!

I am Athoris, and this is my story...

Im writing this while listening to a somehow poor performance of Defying gravity, its great!


	2. Death

I own nothing!

* * *

**"Gold for sale! get your gold! stolen straight from Pharaoh what-nots-tomb!"**

**"Carpet, rugs jewelry! even canopic jars! Have a little piece of history in your home! all the things you can imagine! I got them!"**

Athors tried to ignore the pangs of bubbling disgust and or anger as he hurriedly walked down the village bazar, always open right after a tomb raid and not during anything else for whatever reason these... _idiots_ decided on. His hands and feet shaking he somehow managed to keep his cool as he even walked past a man trying to pawn off the very wrapping of a late king to a very dirty looking old woman, but everyone was dirty here anyway...

He stopped behind a cool alleyway to keep his head from flaming up and to see if he could stop the pain in his eye and as he leaned against the wall he felt himself sink down to the ground holding his head and trying hard to ignore all the shouting to the left of him he shook his head his long stark black hair, the darkest of anyone in the village or the whole of egypt for that matter, swaying in the dry dessert breeze as he watched the children ran around with bits of stolen gold making fun of the gods and their betters. He saw one up front the so called 'prince of thieves' in the village that very sight of him his eyes burn with hatred, but he just shook his head. He was just a child but here he could never learn, he pitied him really. He pitied all the children here actually but they had their choice and they embraced their open mockery of the their rulers. And beside, even a child should at least know what was right and what was wrong, and stealing from gods...

"Just try to ignore it Athoris," he said more to himself then to anything else, "Just ignore it." he sighed letting his hand fall from his face reveling deep dark red eyes burning with anger and a small black ring around his left, straight dark eyes-brown, but you could hardly see that thanks to his bangs, a set jaw frowning slightly, a small nose and somewhat slightly feminine facial features before he got up and walked out of the village but he couldn't help but look back at the village as he left watching the children run amok through the streets.

The sun was setting behind him but he didn't want to look at the sight of Ra's descending into the afterlife because that was where the village was and right now that was the last place he wanted to set eyes on. **Particularly** his father, the one who had given him the black eye in the first place after he told him he wasn't going with him tonight, or any night for that matter, to robe a tomb of some wealthy man who had recently died.

Damn it! he cursed as he touched a cool piece of cloth to his eyes which somehow burned him, frowning he sniffed it and then threw it away disgusted.

"Beer!" he muttered darkly wincing slightly at the pain.

_Hasn't been the first time_, he thought remember the other times his father had beat him so bad he couldn't move for weeks, he frowned as he heard the sound of horse hooves galloping in the sand. Must be his... no, he there were too many of them and besides his father said he was going alone. Looking behind him his eyes widened and pulled his head back as at least a hundred horse-men came charging past him too busy to notice the small body behind the large rock. There from the palace, that much was certain because of the horses and the uniforms but if they were here...

Athors watched as they entered the village and all most an instant later he heard the screams, even from this far away rock he heard them, the screams of the villagers the damned, the tomb robber, even The children... He straightened up still crouched behind the rock sweat dripping from his forehead and as he wiped it away he looked sky-ward.

"Gods... Goddesses... thank-you."_  
_


	3. Curse

I own nothing! Except Athoris

* * *

The hard sand crunched from beneath his feet as he walked down his former village eyes wide with horror. This can't be happening. No! it can't be its a bad dream! That's right. His village can't have been destroyed by the pharaoh last night and soon he will wake up in his bed his mother telling him to help his father with the treasure. But reality is too painful as he opens his eyes again and feels not the hard wood of his bed but harsh hot sunburnt sand of his village.

Turning he comes face-to-face with his mother sisters child. He stares impassively at him for a few seconds before crouching down to his eye level.

"There is nothing for us here, let's go." he said simply.

"B... but, what about the others?"

"They are dead, killed by the gods for dirtying their children's own tombs." he said simply telling him that they will seek penitence for their crime by watching over the new born prince.

The boy just stares ahead not moving.

"What is the matter? I am the oldest in your family now Bakura, and by order of the gods you must obey my wishes, and come. the days of thievery are behind you now... young one come one we must leave."

"No... you are the one that is wrong, he said simply as a horde of voices whisper in his ears, they are the ones that are wrong, they deserve to die!" it took only a second for the words to leave his lips before he finds himself dangling in mid-air clutching his through looking into angry blood red.

"You little brat... your mind has been poisoned by the scum that lives here!" he shouted at him and with a movement of his hand Bakura is on the ground bleeding from the one of his eyes.

Athors breaths heavily before he straightens up and turns away from the small body.

"I regret it... its not truly your fault..."

Athoris turns to leave but something caught his eye. It looks like mist but its not but hundreds of ghosts that are now covering the child's body.

"Get away from him!" Athors shouted and they scatter only to surround him blocking him from left to right.

"Athoris, ungrateful child have you forgotten who reared you?" says one of the ghosts

"Have I forgotten the persons who nearly killed me?!" he demanded angrily

"Wretched child! you will take on our revenge!"

"Never!"

And then... he is consumed by pain, a pain like none he has ever felt before and when he looks at to where the pain is coming from he sees the ghosts flowing into his body. and then they are gone and he doubles over but pulls himself back up not wanting to show weakness in front of these people.

"_Athors... as long as our hate lives on you will never die, but you will know the pain of old age though you will not age physically... this is our curse to you_. it hisses at him before evaporating into midair.

Athoris still clutching his stomach simply glares at the spot where they had been, at Bakura on the ground and then laughs.

"You call this a curse! Ha! This is the only gift you lot have ever honestly given me! Fools! I shall protect the child you lot worked and planned for so long to kill!" and then a new feeling consumes him. Is bubbles inside of him. He can feel it in ever muscle of his body. Power radiates throughout him until it vanishes. Looking up he sees what it was with-in him. Black as the night with eyes that shine like the setting of Ra's sun a huge dragon... his Ka... or spirit monster

"Red eyes black dragon," he says as it curls around his master. He looks up at the sun and then heads into the desert never once looking back.

* * *

If you need a visual of that image with Athors and the red eyes black dragon look at the duelist kingdom mange where Kaiba summoned the blue eyes white dragon when he's dueling Atem. when they're using the dues disks he invented for the second time.


	4. Promise

I own nothing!

* * *

The palace of the pharaoh is bustling with servants rushing back and forth at every door at pathway in every room carrying towels and water among other things as the baby princes' cry reverberate around the walls. And yet no one notices the dark shadow against that wall. The lithe and slender figure looks in no the scene before his harsh red eyes some what covered by the dark hood made to conceal him. His eyes narrowed slightly at the inapt ability of the castle guards. He nearly feels like the king is being insulted when he finds his way quite easily to the queens death room.

Athoris stopped and paused bowing once towards the body in a sign of respect and then to the statue of Isis above. He pulled the hood off his head and gazed down at the young queen sleeping peacefully her hands folded lying upon the stone.

She is young younger then the king but her face show no sign of any rift between them. Her hair was dark the crown still upon it as well as all her gold and jewelry upon her white linen clothing flowing graceful down her body shawl wrapped around her middle. Her eyes are closed in the sleep of the dead.

The boy felt his throat tighten slightly and suddenly he hears a noise behind him and quickly he hides on the celling.

It is the king accompanied by his adviser holding the new born prince in his hands. The adviser stays in the doorway while the king continues and stands by his queen his expression, though he cannot see it, is grave and slowly falls down to her knees and he prays to the gods for the life of his beloved queen saying the child is too young too small and frail to be left without a mother.

He had never had another wife had never taken a mistress and never will. His love for her is a true one and Athoris feels sick to be spying in on a scene so person. The advisor who is left holding the baby feels his heartache for them both. But the king cannot remain at his queens side forever the moment he hears a guards foot steps approach he reluctantly leaves the guard having informed him of his brothers return and they leave quickly follow him out leaving Athoris alone in the room. He carefully jumps down barley making any noise as he does and bows once more to the queen.

"Trust me... my queen my king I will watch over the prince in your place... that is more then I can say for the guards." he quickly and silently leaving the room.

What makes him follow the king he does not know but he cannot help it and in a matter of minutes finds himself hiding behind a pillar or the throne room watching as a man in a dark hood travel worn and dusty caring a bag over his shoulder come into the room his brother the king gets up from the throne and meets him on the dais arms outstretched face beaming until he pulls back his hood

"My brother..." he chocked reaching for him, what...?"

"It... is just a small price to pay compared to the safety our land. he said his back to Athoris who sees him touch his eye and then hold out a bag to the king.

The king reaches into a bag and pulls out a golden pendent glinting in the light at the front is the symbol of an eye eerily similar to the eye of Ra.

"I arrived just in time my brother, he said softly, the eye saw the enemy approaching."

"Then... let us use these items to return peace to Egypt."


	5. The shadow

I own nothing except Athoris!

* * *

The hours grew to days months to years flood Season passed in the blink of an eye and the prince grew much to the amazement of royal doctors who had said that the child was likely to die early. The priests said it was the blessing of the gods and the child was praised by his people as being their light in the darkness born at the hour of their kings triumph against the barbaric invaders of the north. The prince had everything he could have ever wanted but... From an early age he showed instant dislike for it all. The prince knew the difference between right and wrong good and evil. He was a child who knew far beyond his age amazing his teachers who had been sent to tutor him. But still the prince was kept under the close eyes of a guard to keep him safe from the many dangers of the world. Try as they might to catch up to them the child was all most always too fast for them. However there was always one thing he couldn't outrun even on a good day. There had always been a shadow at his side following him from a distance, always there lurking out of sight out of the corner of his eyes. always leaping out of his line of sight the moment he turned around. That shadow had been there for as far back as he could remember. Ever since that day he was five when his father had taken his to the shrine of Wedju...

_"One day my son..." his father had said standing strong and proud at his side, "you will learn control these gods..."_

_The young prince's crimson eyes stared up strayed up at the tablets etched in rock before him all of them were surrounded by the puzzle his father had around his neck. He knew their names quite well. The gods of Egypt that the god Ra had sent down for the chosen one to one day control as spirit monsters._

_It seemed impossible. HE control the three legendary gods? but... if his father had said it was true._

_When they had turned to leave he saw something, a shadow on the wall dark red eyes looking at him from the shadows..._

Since then he had always seen the shadow. He felt like he should have been scared of it and have told someone but... no. He didn't. Not even to his father. There was something comforting about it that he couldn't place and those red eyes had not been the eyes of an assassin come to kill him but eyes that had promised protection. So he kept it quiet he told no one about the shadow. He grew to become quite fond of the shadow. His companion in the darkness and once nearly caught up to it. All he saw were a pair of dark red eyes against the blackness of the night looking back at him as he ran to catch a glimpse of whoever it was.

"WAIT!" he had called out but the shadow had disappeared down the castle balcony and out of sight.

Once or twice the shadow had sung to him. Helping him to fall asleep on restless nights caused by his own childhood worries.

He could not make heads or tails to the gender of the voice but it was as soothing and as clear as the nile river to him.

In his childhood mind he tried to get a picture of the shadow but since all he had to go on was red eyes and a strong clear voice all he could picture was... nothing.

He knew that the shadow would always be there for him. Would always be there in the shadows of the night, by at his open bed room window. Always there at the corner of his eyes. His first friend. And unlike the guards he didn't mind.

Since it had saved him from a crocodile once.

Bt there came a day when the shadow all but vanished from his life.

The day after his ninth birthday when his father died... it had vanished without a trance.


	6. The substance

I own nothing except the story and Athoris!

* * *

He watched as the young prince grew up strong and healthy. Much to the immense relief of the kingdom and himself. Wrapped in safety and luxury in the palace The young prince Atem. The people's light in the darkness, The chosen prince of the god Ra.

He stayed in the shadows always there and guarding him safely from a distance never showing his face It may not have been idea to let the young prince catch quick glimpses of him now and again but the prince never told anyone. And he was grateful for it.

In fact there was a part of him that grew to be quite fond of the prince.

But It was just his duty. He would keep telling himself that on nights the prince could not go to sleep.

Just his duty to the holy crown of Egypt...

Once or twice the prince had nearly caught up with him. He was walking to the to offer his prayers to the palace temple of the Gods and Goddesses when the prince had come from around a corner looking very tired rubbing his eyes filled with sleep. Prince Atem had then gasped recognizing him as the shadow and had then chased after him. It wasn't the chase of running after an intruder but the chase of a curious child wanting to understand

From the shadows he continued watching him. Watched as the priests of the millennium items changed year by year. Watched as the prince made his first friend. An absurdly annoying, hyperactive little girl with what seemed to be far too much time on her hands wearing too little clothing even in this heat and some ridicules hat all the while training to become a magician who would probably get him killed some day by the way her spells kept backfiring on her.

He was content with his duty of guarding the prince silently earning his trust, though he was sure it was only out of his childhood innocent. Glowing in pride in the knowledge of he was doing a better job of it then the worthless guards.

But then there came a day when he knew he would have to leave him.

The hour of his king Aknamkanon's death...

(...) (...) (...)

From the shadows he watched the dying figure on the death bed coughing up blood and breathing heavily with Mahad at his beside offering apology after apology.

He watched from the shadows eyes wide in shock as the dying king made an apology to the gods for the massacre of Kul Elna.

This should not be happening. Why should he have a care for the filth and vermin collected together in the city of sin? It had been the will of the gods these people had died! And if anything he should not take the blame for it! Besides they had deserved worse punishment then that before they had reached the teeth and claws of Amit.

He shook his head and quietly slipped form the room bypassing the guards and servants and found himself at the princes' bed side.

Breathing in heavily Athoris silently whispered to him a message of warning that no child should have to hear.

"Prince... you must get up your father is on his last breath... you must go to him, quickly."

Prince Atem who had been sleeping the sleep of youthful innocent shot up in his bed at the whisper in the wind finding himself quite alone in the room.

And behind a pillar Athoris watched as the prince took up the royal oath of pharaoh eyes still wet with the parting of his father. His dark red eyes watched full of forlorn.

When the king had retired to bed he came into his bedchamber through the window and looked down at the small body under the covers.

"My king, I am afraid that this is where I must leave you... you must go through this on your own... be strong." and he disappeared quietly out the window and out of sight.

Silently the young king shifted in his bed and slept on discontent and without joy.


	7. Five years

I own nothing except the story and Athoris!

* * *

He shouldn't have left...

The robbery on the valley of the kings was something he knew he should have been more cautious of but it wasn't until he had found the girl with the blue hair that he had found curled in the desert sands had been his one and only guess at what was happening.

He had survived...

That damned brat had survived!

From the top of the pillar he had watched arriving too late to help but just in time tow watch as the king summoned the god of the Obelisk...

And then the brat had fled... like the spineless thief he was.

And he had done all this... spat in the face of the gods and removed one of them from their tomb.

He couldn't take it.

(...) (...) (...)

Atem's fingers brushed against the cold substance of the balcony as he watched Mahad, Mana and his vizier Shimon Muran below in the courtyard. He felt a small smile tug at his lips at what he was hearing below him.

"This all happened because of my failure. The king forgave me... he swallowed his anger at the insult done to his father and let me live

Atem bowed his head.

"Mahad... your loyalty to my father and me is beyond what anybody can expect... you should have known that... I could never punish you even if I wanted to..."

He frowned and then smiled slightly shaking his head a little.

"Five years..." he muttered to the air. "And now you return?"

From a corner of the protruding hanging a figure skillfully hidden by the shadows smiled.

days later Mahad solders came back from the tomb bringing the ill news of Mahad's death with them.

And Bakura had escaped again.

(...) (...) (...)

It was in the dark of the night a month later when Bakura finally struck again. Besmirching the palace attacking a priest and killing a guard and riding out of the gates persuade by Atem closely followed by with another god following close beside him as the two of the galloped through the city Bakura attacking the villagers as they scurried for cover as they went. From above astride the red eyes Athoris watched as Seto and Shada join in the fight as the king was lead out of the city and towards a steep cliff.

Atem watched Bakura bathed in the blood of his people smirking down at him from the cliff the god slifer above him ready to strike the final blow but then something attacked him out of the darkness and the king fell from the cliff blooded and bruised down to the dry canyon floor.

Seto watched eyes wide in shock unseen to him the black dragon flying out of the craves a rider stride holding something in its arms as it flew across the sky as the sun slowly dawned overhead illuminating two figures one past out and carried by a figure in a dark cloak to a cave.

"Rest my king... allow me to deal with this in your steed. Rest." he whispered to him kissing a ring on his fingers gently and quickly got up and exited the cave overhead Isis' ka flew above him.

As he went Atem's eyes opened slightly watching him go.

Athoris walked to the edge of the cliff and fell with his arms outstretched as he fell quickly a calm look on his face and he opened his eyes slowly. There was a flash of red light and the red eyes rose out of the cliff and towards the clouds its masters dark eyes scanning the land below.

He found him in the ruins of Kul Elna with the puzzle and ring around his neck standing in what used to be the village plaza watching him.

"Athoris... so good to see you again..." Bakura smirked holding a hand out as if he expected him to take it as Athoris jumped off his ka's back making the sand crunch beneath his nearly bear feet but he just stood there across the sand glared daggers at him the red eyes beside him ready for blood and bone as ghosts of the villagers appearing here and there. Whispers all around.

"Bakura... its not been long enough..." he said.

Bakura smirked and turned his head to the buildings.

"So long ago.. so many were killed by the pharaoh. Do you remember the way that they were slaughtered and thrown into a pot? Now all that remains of them are their ghosts haunt this land. Restless... seeking the vengeance that I will deliver for them..."

"What... You mean the life of worthless thief's? he asked shrugging while pulling his cloak off of himself.

"My offering to the king will be your head. You will atone for what you did." Athoris hissed as a hail of fire burst from Bakura's body revealing his Ba. But he didn't have time to reflect on at as all around them directed at his. Athoris sighed and with a mere all most lazy gesture of his hand directed a counter attack of hailing fire against it. Athoris frowned slightly and glanced towards a building that Bakura had jumped to just in time. He smirked at him turned his black and fled.

Athoris frowned and was about to run after him when he was surrounded by skeletons.

"Tck! Your beast has an annoying power..." he said and with one simple movement of his sword they fell to pieces before him turning to dust before they even touched the ground. Quickly he jumped on top of the building. Looking up he saw him sitting on a dried up fountain a bit of blood dripping from his forehead. Athoris blinked. Something wasn't right. Where was his ba? he stiffened and leaped off the building just in time to escape one of Diabound's attacks that sent derby everywhere. Athoris managed to elude it and reach the nearest ledge of a building. Looking around he saw his Ka was battling Bakura's Diabound keeping it subdued. With a mere thought his Ka moved away from its prey just as its masters dagger reached it.

Bakura yelled in pain and fell to the ground putting a hand to his eye feeling as though his eye was being split open and he coughed up blood. He looked up glaring at Athoris as he strutted up to him his cloak in one hand and kneeled down next to him.

"Get up already. he sighed down at him. "I don't really like kicking a dog when its down." Athoris looked down at him for a few seconds and then looked back at his red eyes that was keeping Diabound in a submissive hold.

"You know," he said slowly. I've never liked to just sit on the sidelines and watch other people do the fighting. However... I guess I can really complain about having a Ka..."

"Why are you telling me this instead of just killing me...!?" he demanded angrily.

Athoris looked back down at him.

"Because... the priests and the king are probably on their way here already. They probably don't want to get any more innocent people involved in the cross fire. That's just the type of person he is." Athoris said smiling slightly.

Bakura glared at him and spit in his face.

"Don't keep saying that!" he shouted.

"He's dead."

Athoris looked at him flicked the spit off of his face and got up.

"Stop saying such nonsense." he sighed. He's..."

There was a sudden ear splitting roar and the next instant Athoris found himself clutching his stomach and as he moved his hand away slightly he saw blood dripping from his stomach and his body convulsed slightly and he felt something slash as his legs. Unable to hold himself up he fell to the ground coughing up blood feeling his strength leave him and his vision becoming cloudy and red as a strange cloudy darkness seemed to creep around them.

"Damn it," he hissed as blood dripped from his mouth his fist clenching sand as he tried to hold on and as he watched the red eyes fell ragged and blooded to the ground

"Why are you doing this?" Athoris whispered raising his head with great effort as blood dripped form his mouth. "You're destroying the very being keeping this land alive. Don't you reali...! Athoris' dark red eyes widened in shock as he saw the giant black demonic looking shadow hovering above Bakura its dark smile leering at him through the desert sands.

"No..." he whispered his eyes wide in horror at what he was seeing but those were the last things he saw before everything faded to black.

* * *

There I updated. Happy now?

AW! you know I love you guys!


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